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I don't know where to post his. I had been taking two 0xycodone 5 mg. tablets for pain. My doctor changed it to one Oxycodone HCL 10 mg. tablet every six hours. I know that the HCL means Hydrochroride but I feel that the Oxycodone HCL tablet is weaker than the two Oxycodone 5 mg. tablets. The Web M.D. pill identifier lists the 5 mg. tablets in both Oxycodone and Oxycodone HCL. Why is that? Is there a difference between the two? Could someone please clarify this for me? Thank You.

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32 Replies |Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?I don't know where to post his. I had been taking two 0xycodone 5 mg. tablets for pain. My doctor changed it to one Oxycodone HCL 10 mg. tablet every six hours. I know that the HCL means Hydrochroride but I feel that the Oxycodone HCL tablet is weaker than the two Oxycodone 5 mg. tablets. The Web M.D. pill identifier lists the 5 mg. tablets in both Oxycodone and Oxycodone HCL. Why is that? Is there a difference between the two? Could someone please clarify this for me? Thank You.

Hello, Thank you for answering my question B.t,w. it is Oxycodone and not in the form of Perocet. Mabybe it's that the two pills are the exact same size (the 5 mg. and the 10 mg.) that it FEELS as if the 10 mg. tablet is less effective. Since they're exactly the same medicines, it just seems like the 10 mg. should be a little bigger?

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?Hello, Thank you for answering my question B.t,w. it is Oxycodone and not in the form of Perocet. Mabybe it's that the two pills are the exact same size (the 5 mg. and the 10 mg.) that it FEELS as if the 10 mg. tablet is less effective. Since they're exactly the same medicines, it just seems like the 10 mg. should be a little bigger?

There are different Pharmaceutical laboratories that makes these medicines...there is also brand name or generics...

So you can't compare pill sizes either...all medicines have both an active (in this case Oxycodone) ingredient, and inactive ingredients..(fillers)....so a pill of the same mg by two different makers can be different sizes as well dependent on the fillers and the way it's made..some are more 'compact' than others...

Some people claim that a brand name is better...or some people claim that one generic is better/stronger than another...This physically can't be true as all brands and generics by law have to have the exact same amount of the active ingredient. The law only states that the 'filler' can be or - 20%...

So...all that being said...LOL...if you 'feel' more pain relief by taking 2 of the 5mg than the 10mg...then speak with your Dr...to me...I want to always take the least amount of medicine per day....so if let's say your total dosage is 40mg...I would rather take 1 10mg pill every 6 hours then 8 of the 5mgs.....as well as I am self pay without insurance....I always go for what is least expensive..

I'm thinking that you may be subliminally thinking it's less effective based on the size of the pill...but hey...whatever you and your Dr. decide..

So you can't compare pill sizes either...all medicines have both an active (in this case Oxycodone) ingredient, and inactive ingredients..(fillers)....so a pill of the same mg by two different makers can be different sizes as well dependent on the fillers and the way it's made..some are more 'compact' than others...

Some people claim that a brand name is better...or some people claim that one generic is better/stronger than another...This physically can't be true as all brands and generics by law have to have the exact same amount of the active ingredient. The law only states that the 'filler' can be or - 20%...

So...all that being said...LOL...if you 'feel' more pain relief by taking 2 of the 5mg than the 10mg...then speak with your Dr...to me...I want to always take the least amount of medicine per day....so if let's say your total dosage is 40mg...I would rather take 1 10mg pill every 6 hours then 8 of the 5mgs.....as well as I am self pay without insurance....I always go for what is least expensive..

I'm thinking that you may be subliminally thinking it's less effective based on the size of the pill...but hey...whatever you and your Dr. decide..

FYI, if you a treating a chronic (long term) condition, another difference between Oxycodone 5 mg vs 10 mg is cost. I've been told that due to volume, the 5 mg tablets cost much less per mg than the 10 mg tablets. That is, instead of the 10 mg tablets costing twice as much since they have twice the amount of Oxycodone, they might cost four to eight times the as much.

The least expensive version of Oxycodone per mg is in Percocet 5/325, which, as noted above, includes Acetaminophen. Even with the added medication, it costs about half as much as Oxycodone 5 mg, by itself. However, due to the effects of Acetaminophen on your liver, you would be restricted to not more than 12 tablets within 24 hours.

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?FYI, if you a treating a chronic (long term) condition, another difference between Oxycodone 5 mg vs 10 mg is cost. I've been told that due to volume, the 5 mg tablets cost much less per mg than the 10 mg tablets. That is, instead of the 10 mg tablets costing twice as much since they have twice the amount of Oxycodone, they might cost four to eight times the as much.

The least expensive version of Oxycodone per mg is in Percocet 5/325, which, as noted above, includes Acetaminophen. Even with the added medication, it costs about half as much as Oxycodone 5 mg, by itself. However, due to the effects of Acetaminophen on your liver, you would be restricted to not more than 12 tablets within 24 hours.

The cost depends on your insurance company if you have one. Mine negotiates prices based more on their volume. With my insurance, it is cheaper per mg. of oxycodone to get plain 5 mg. tablets than to buy Percocet with 5 mg. of oxycodone in generic form. Higher than 5 mg. of plain oxycodone is hard to come by in our area for some reason, but the 5 mg. tablets are easily available.

The makers of tylenol recently came out and now they are recommending no more than 3,000 mg. per day instead of the 4,000 mg. they used to prescribe. Whenever I have taken oxycodone or hydrocodone mixed with acetaminophen, I have asked for the least amount of acetaminophen possible. I have discussed this with a liver specialist and he said it would depend on the person and what other meds, alcohol they were using. He has suggested to some patients that they could take up to 8,000 mg. per day and others where he suggested they not use it at all.

Take care, Annette

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?The cost depends on your insurance company if you have one. Mine negotiates prices based more on their volume. With my insurance, it is cheaper per mg. of oxycodone to get plain 5 mg. tablets than to buy Percocet with 5 mg. of oxycodone in generic form. Higher than 5 mg. of plain oxycodone is hard to come by in our area for some reason, but the 5 mg. tablets are easily available.

The makers of tylenol recently came out and now they are recommending no more than 3,000 mg. per day instead of the 4,000 mg. they used to prescribe. Whenever I have taken oxycodone or hydrocodone mixed with acetaminophen, I have asked for the least amount of acetaminophen possible. I have discussed this with a liver specialist and he said it would depend on the person and what other meds, alcohol they were using. He has suggested to some patients that they could take up to 8,000 mg. per day and others where he suggested they not use it at all.

Take care, Annette

Anon_174305 responded:

You might want to consider your liver. If you have any issues especially Hepatitis B or C or any form of Hep, I wouldn't take it. It can poision your liver = toxicity. Please don't take with any alcohol.

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?You might want to consider your liver. If you have any issues especially Hepatitis B or C or any form of Hep, I wouldn't take it. It can poision your liver = toxicity. Please don't take with any alcohol.

Don't forget that there are inert fillers in meds. According to the FDA all drugs brand and generic must have the amount of the active duty med that it says it has on the bottle. If one says five mg. and the other says ten mg. they are only talking about the oxycodone, not the inert fillers.

Do what ever you and your doctor agree to do.

Take care, Annette

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?Don't forget that there are inert fillers in meds. According to the FDA all drugs brand and generic must have the amount of the active duty med that it says it has on the bottle. If one says five mg. and the other says ten mg. they are only talking about the oxycodone, not the inert fillers.

Price also changes from pharmacy to pharmacy and one area to another. In my community plain oxycodone 5 mg. in generic form was cheaper than generic oxycodone/APAP when I called and asked about it.

If you do not have an agreement with your doctor to use only one pharmacy, and have to pay in full out of pocket, it might be worth it to call around every month and ask the price from several pharmacies.

Take care, Annette

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?Price also changes from pharmacy to pharmacy and one area to another. In my community plain oxycodone 5 mg. in generic form was cheaper than generic oxycodone/APAP when I called and asked about it.

If you do not have an agreement with your doctor to use only one pharmacy, and have to pay in full out of pocket, it might be worth it to call around every month and ask the price from several pharmacies.

I know this is a year later but I have to disagree w/all the meds. being the same . I've been on pain meds. for 25 years unfortunately the name brand is far better than generic. Some generics are coated therefore taking longer to dissolve making it feel like it doesn't work as well. But I have my preferences as to which generic brand I'll accept. If my pharmacy doesn't carry the generic brand i prefer & won't order it then I'll go elsewhere. I know they all say generics of the same med. are the same, I disagree. Been around too long in pain to not know there is a difference.

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?I know this is a year later but I have to disagree w/all the meds. being the same . I've been on pain meds. for 25 years unfortunately the name brand is far better than generic. Some generics are coated therefore taking longer to dissolve making it feel like it doesn't work as well. But I have my preferences as to which generic brand I'll accept. If my pharmacy doesn't carry the generic brand i prefer & won't order it then I'll go elsewhere. I know they all say generics of the same med. are the same, I disagree. Been around too long in pain to not know there is a difference.

We are all different. I have taken many different generics and brand name counterparts over the 15 years I have been in pain management, and I have never noticed any difference at all. So, I decide by price.

As long as one is willing to pay the piper, do what ever you wish to do.

Take care, Annette

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?We are all different. I have taken many different generics and brand name counterparts over the 15 years I have been in pain management, and I have never noticed any difference at all. So, I decide by price.

As long as one is willing to pay the piper, do what ever you wish to do.

I don't like generics and have been told by people that work for the FDA not to take generics because they don't have the manpower to check them and a lot of them are off from the brand. Unfortunately, nothing much happens unless these generics start killing people, but the FDA wants to keep the insurance companies happy with the lower cost. Now I've been prescribed oxy 5 mg and 10 mg, and you can't get them in brand. The pharmacy can only provide prescription for generics. I guess you have to take a dose of 30 mg to get the brand with this drug. All I know is the 5 and 10 of the oxy generic work wonderfully as sleeping tablets, which I don't need, and they do absolutely nothing for the pain. It's frustrating because I need something to take the edge off the pain but still be able to work, but Kathy, you are 100% correct in your comment.

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?I don't like generics and have been told by people that work for the FDA not to take generics because they don't have the manpower to check them and a lot of them are off from the brand. Unfortunately, nothing much happens unless these generics start killing people, but the FDA wants to keep the insurance companies happy with the lower cost. Now I've been prescribed oxy 5 mg and 10 mg, and you can't get them in brand. The pharmacy can only provide prescription for generics. I guess you have to take a dose of 30 mg to get the brand with this drug. All I know is the 5 and 10 of the oxy generic work wonderfully as sleeping tablets, which I don't need, and they do absolutely nothing for the pain. It's frustrating because I need something to take the edge off the pain but still be able to work, but Kathy, you are 100% correct in your comment.

Where I live the plain oxycodone is cheaper than generic Percocet. I checked at the pharmacy I used and the next one up the street to be sure, and then asked my doctor to prescribe accordingly. She was willing to do that, and I got rid of the acetominophen too.

Only 5 mg. oxycodones are available here also. The pharmacist called the doctor and got it okayed, did the math for her and everything. She had ordered one ten mg. tablet as needed for breakthrough pain.

It is often worth shopping around, pharmacists are usually more than willing to be helpful.

Take care, Annette

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Report This| Share this:Oxycodone vs. Oxycodone HCL- same thing?Where I live the plain oxycodone is cheaper than generic Percocet. I checked at the pharmacy I used and the next one up the street to be sure, and then asked my doctor to prescribe accordingly. She was willing to do that, and I got rid of the acetominophen too.

Only 5 mg. oxycodones are available here also. The pharmacist called the doctor and got it okayed, did the math for her and everything. She had ordered one ten mg. tablet as needed for breakthrough pain.

It is often worth shopping around, pharmacists are usually more than willing to be helpful.

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